


Little Will's little one

by adavice



Category: Hannibal (TV)
Genre: Age Play, Age Regression/De-Aging, Hannibal Lecter is a Cannibal, Hannibal Lecter is the Chesapeake Ripper, Little Will Graham, M/M, Mpreg, Nightmares, Non-Sexual Age Play, Post-Fall (Hannibal), Pregnant Will Graham
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-25
Updated: 2021-01-13
Packaged: 2021-03-09 22:42:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,262
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27713573
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/adavice/pseuds/adavice
Summary: Will is very pregnant and uncomfortable both physically and emotionally, not wanting to open up to his husband. They haven't done ageplay in a while but Hannibal suggests they do to help   him cope. It's a shock to Little Will to see himself pregnant though!
Relationships: Will Graham/Hannibal Lecter
Comments: 11
Kudos: 121





	1. Finding out

Will sat at the dinner table fussing with the meal Hannibal had prepared for them. This late in his pregnancy he was often uncomfortable and tired at the end of the day so his husband didn’t always expect much conversation but something about tonight felt different. Hannibal looked up, pausing to finish his mouthful. ‘Are you not hungry my love?’

Will smiled but not with his eyes. ‘No. Sorry, it is delicious though.’   
Hannibal stood up and walked around to Will’s side of the table, kneeling down and placing a finger on his chin to turn his head to face him.   
‘Talk to me Will, what’s going on?’ His eyes inquisitive and kind.   
Will’s voice was barely a whisper, ‘It’s nothing…. I um… I don’t want to talk about it.’   
‘Would someone else like to explain?’ Hannibal suggested, his eyes fixed into Will’s. 

Will knew that he was suggesting Little Will but he hadn't been there in such a long time that he wasn’t sure if it would feel right. Some months into their relationship Hannibal and Will had begun experimenting with ageplay as a way to help Will cope with the things he saw other people doing, things that he had imagined himself doing. Quickly though they’d realised that Hannibal loved it too; the desire he had to protect and care for Will was so deep already, why not push it to its extreme? During the first trimester when Will’s nausea was at its height he’d regressed almost daily, needing constant care and attention. During the second trimester however Little Will hadn’t come out to play all that often; though he didn’t feel like he had that pregnancy ‘glow’ compared to the horrors of the first 12 weeks it was a cakewalk. Of course he’d still regress occasionally because it was nice to play, nice to be looked after, but as Hannibal told him many times Little Will could come out as often or as infrequently as he liked. Third trimester seemed to be a downhill spiral though, enough to make Hannibal worry. Little aches and pains the previous month had only amplified as their baby grew making Will’s body a very uncomfortable place to inhabit. Though Hannibal had tried suggesting play as a way of relaxing Will had brushed him off. 

‘We won’t have time for this when she comes, why not get used to it now.’   
‘I’m just going to go to sleep now anyway, there’s no point.’ 

So for about 2 months now Hannibal had not been a daddy and Will had not been little. It caused a dull ache in Hannibal’s chest to see his love look so sad. His excuses didn’t see to add up and he wondered if something else was going on. Was he ashamed? Was it something to do with the pregnancy? Whatever it was Will wasn’t talking about it. 

In the dining room however, Will could feel himself regressing, his mind readily accepting the change out of sheer desperation. 

‘Daddy!’ He cried, a spark back in his eye. He flung his little arms out, ready to accept a hug from his papa. Hannibal grinned, his little boy looked so sweet, he couldn't wait to look after him. Will nuzzled his neck before drawing back, slight concern in his eyes. 

‘Oh daddy, I have a tummy ache.’ He said drawing his hand up to touch his belly. As it made contact earlier than he expected he looked down shocked, it was a surprise to his little eyes seeing his belly resting on his lap. Little Will had never looked like this before, and even when they'd played earlier on they didn't really mention the baby. Besides little ones were not known for their ability to retain information.

‘Did I eat too much?’ His eyes flicked back up, mouth hanging slightly open in confusion. 

Hannibal knew this was going to be a big task; not only did he have to explain where babies came from, but he would have to break the news to his boy that he was pregnant. He gave a small sympathetic smile, partially in response to the sweetness of his question. 

‘Do you remember the book we read about the little boy who got a new brother?’

Will nodded. When he’d first learned that he was pregnant, he’d surprised Hannibal by giving him that book to read as a bedtime story.

‘And do you remember how his mummy’s tummy got really big before the baby was born?’ 

Will nodded again, looking unsure of what this had to do with anything. 

‘Well the baby was in her tummy right? Just like you’ve got a baby inside your tummy now.’

Will giggled, his cheeks going pink with delight, ‘Silly daddy, little boys don’t have babies!’

Hannibal placed his hands on Will’s bump pressing until he found the spot where their daughter’s bottom was currently residing. 

‘Ouchies! That makes me feel sicky.’

‘I’m sorry lamb.’ Hannibal placated. He knew that would have been uncomfortable given that she had been kicking him hard under the ribs, plus he suspected that Will might have been suffering from heartburn. However this was the quickest route to convincing Will of what was happening. He took his little one’s hand and pressed it to that spot, watching as realisation dawned on him with the movement of their child. 

‘You aren’t always little are you Will? Sometimes you are a big boy, and big boys do have babies. We made this one together.’ His voice was soft and gentle, this being a lot of information to absorb all at once. 

Will’s face crumbled, tears welling in his eyes. ‘But I’m too small to have a baby.’ His voice cracking at the end as he broke into sobs. 

Hannibal pulled him back into his arms tightly. He rubbed his back soothingly as he shushed his baby. ‘Oh my darling, darling one. You are doing so well, if you were too little you wouldn’t have been able to get so far.’ 

It had been a while since he’d had to comfort away his bean’s tears, but he still knew exactly what to do. With great heaving sobs like these Will needed tight pressure, the feeling of safety surrounding him. Hannibal’s large strong hands moved like waves up and down his shaking back, never altering their pace. 

Hannibal waited until Will’s cries had turned into whimpers stroking his hair all the while before deciding that he probably needed to go to sleep. 

‘Honey?’

‘mmhhhm’ Will sniffled 

‘You've had a very big day, and this was a bit of a scary thing to hear wasn’t it? I think we should put you to bed don’t you think.’ 

It was less of a suggestion and more of a statement about what was to happen next. Hannibal knew that everything else could wait; Will was overtired and in need of simple comforts like his teddy and dummy. 

‘With daddy please.’ He whispered meekly, still hiccuping the occasional cry. 

‘You’re such a polite little boy aren’t you. Of course I’ll come to bed with you.’ He stood up and stroked Will’s hair back from his face to reveal his big round eyes, still red rimmed. He took his thumbs and smoothed them over his cheeks to wipe away his tears and then pressed a kiss into each hot, wet side of his face. 

Hannibal extended his hand, ‘Come on munchkin, let’s get you out of your big boy clothes and ready for bed.’


	2. A reunion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Set immediately after the first chapter, Will finds his favourite stuffed toy and gets a bottle (which proves to be a bit uncomfortable with his indigestion)

Hannibal took Will’s warm hand in his own and realised from the lack of strength in his grip that he may find it more difficult to stand when he was small and this pregnant. 

‘Give me both your hands and I can pull you up.’ 

‘Like when you bounce me into the sky?’ Will’s eyes twinkled, remembering how he’d hold his papa’s hands and crouch down, springing up as Hannibal pulled his arms. It made him feel like he was shooting up like a rocket, and boy did he squeal like that’s what was happening. 

‘Exactly like that.’ Hannibal smiled, recalling the exact same thing. 

It was certainly a heave but once they were up Will made straight for his room. 

‘Let me just get your bottle first, chicken. Then we can go upstairs.’ 

He deliberately made it slightly too warm so it would cool down to the perfect temperature once they were upstairs. Whilst he did so Will wandered around the kitchen seeming to look at everything with new, younger and more curious eyes. He was getting used to having a smaller body once again, and along with that quickly came boredom. Hannibal could tell when that started when Will started to try blowing raspberries into his hand, a feat that didn’t accomplish much other than getting them both covered in saliva. 

‘Alright, we’re ready.’ He said as he wiped his hand clean watching Will start off towards the stairs. 

Hannibal noticed that where usually he would have at least one arm on his bump when he walked, now Will seemed to actively avoid touching it. This was an exercise in escape he supposed, maybe that would remind him too much of the world he was trying to ignore for the present.

‘Hold on mister!’ Hannibal warned when Will got to the bottom of the stairs.’What are the rules?’

‘mmmmm.’ Will looked up at the sky and twiddled his finger in his hair. When he found the answer he nodded proudly and decisively. ‘Hold daddy’s hand on the stairs.’ 

‘Good boy.’ Hannibal said, kissing his forehead as he reached him.

It was funny seeing the juxtaposition of Will taking the stairs one at a time as though he had short legs and an underdeveloped sense of balance, whilst also breathing through his nose in an effort to reduce his breathlessness. Though his body hurt like someone a lot older, in every other way he was small. He focussed intently on not falling, concentration clear on his face as he stared down at each stair as though they might suddenly change position. Hannibal couldn’t help but squeeze his hand just a little bit more. Will was too busy thinking about the stairs to notice but it wasn’t just to make sure he didn’t fall, it said, ‘I love you, I’ve got you and I’ll never ever ever let go.’ 

———————————————————————————————————————————

At the top of the stairs Will rushed off to the room. It was definitely cute, seeing as how his waddle really looked like a toddle in this situation. He was looking for his favourite teddy, a velvety elephant called snoot. Once he found him he showered him in kisses, clearly enjoying the reunion, mumbling as he did so. ‘I missded you sooo much snoot. I missded your ears and your feet.’ These were snoot’s softest parts that Will would idly run his fingers back and forth on. 

Hannibal smiled as he went over to the drawers to fetch Will his pj’s. Though the room hadn’t been used in a while he’d still kept it clean and ordered. This was partly because he wasn’t the type to tolerate dust and partly because he always hoped that it would be full of life and joy once more. His fingers ran over Will’s favourite top, the one with the puppies on it, but kept on looking for a night shirt; there was not way anything else would fit. 

‘Come sweetheart, let’s get you changed. Arms up!’ 

‘I don’t like it.’ Will grumbled, seeing a very distinct lack of dogs on the item chosen. ‘I wanna chose.’ 

Hannibal cocked his head to one side, wondering how much disobedience he should tolerate. 

‘I know, but for tonight we are going to wear this. Look it’s got elephants on it, just like snoot.’ 

Will put snoot up to his ear and listened for a moment. ‘He says they are ugly. They don’t look like real elephants.’ 

In this instance Hannibal suspected he was just overtired and petulant as opposed to looking for punishment. Besides, Hannibal would have to readjust the tried and true method of taking him over his knee and he didn’t really fancy a time out when they had so little awake time left. Who knows if this could all go away tomorrow.

‘I’m afraid, my love, that everything else will be a little too small to fit you and the baby into. Perhaps tomorrow snoot would like to draw us what elephants should look like?’

‘With the special pencils?’ Will looked up through this eyelashes.

‘But only if you get dressed nicely for me now.’ 

Will considered that for a moment and then threw his arms up in the air so fast it looked like he’d been startled. Hannibal gave him no time to reconsider, deftly pulling the sweater over his curls, and replacing it with the pyjamas that were still quite stretched over his belly. 

Pants off and teeth brushed (at which point Hannibal noted that they’d need to buy at least one other long shirt as this had ridden up so much), they got settled in Will’s crib. There was no way they’d be drinking milk in their bed. 

Hannibal lay down Will’s head on his lap, and sat himself up against a pillow, running his fingers through his boy’s hair. Will opened his mouth for the bottle and began lazily sucking as soon as the teat was placed against his tongue. His eyelids began to droop as he was reminded of all the nights he’d done this before. It felt so perfect he never wanted it to stop. Hannibal 

Little Will wasn’t ready to touch his tummy yet; he was too confused about the baby that resided in there. but about halfway through the bottle his indigestion started to make itself known. There wasn't much space left for his stomach anymore.   
‘Daddy?’ Will spoke from around the teat.   
‘Yes, my love?’  
‘Please can you rub my belly.’   
Hannibal smiled warmly ‘Of course my love.’   
He slid his hand down to rest on the top of his bump, moving it comfortingly from side to side. In response to this Will started to make little grumbly noises and whines.   
‘Do you need burping?’   
Will ignored him, continuing to suckle on the teat despite his clear discomfort.   
Hannibal pulled the bottle away, causing Will to groan in displeasure.   
‘I know it’s nice, but if you’re full it’s important to listen to your body. We’ll pop you in bed and you can have your binkie to suck on. Now hop up into daddy’s lap and let’s see if we can make you feel a bit better.’   
Will whined as he crawled over to straddle Hannibal’s lap, his head resting against his shoulder. They breathed each other in, one smelling a warm creamy aroma and the other smelling something that he could only define as ‘daddy’. He rubbed his hand, large and safe, over his back before patting gently.   
Will let out a belch that was definitely not suited to a small boy, so big in fact that a tiny bit of milk made its way back up. Big Will would have swallowed it back down but Little Will didn’t like to have the yucky taste of bile and milk in his mouth so he just let it flow out onto Hannibal’s shirt. Though it was only a little patch of wetness Will’s eyes watered again   
‘Sshh, sshh, sshh, it’s okay, it was an accident, daddy’s not mad.’   
It didn’t matter though, Will had already begun to cry, though Hannibal sensed it wasn’t all his little self. Little Will cried because he didn’t like being sick but the adult within him cried because he was ashamed. Hannibal had seen him with morning sickness, but Jesus this was a whole other level of disgusting. He couldn't even enjoy this, couldn't even finish one bottle of milk, couldn’t even press completely into his husband with this thing in the way. 

He was almost about to completely age up when Hannibal began to hum. It was vague, seeming to meander through a melody, but entirely from the heart; his love made into song. The vibrations in his chest wrapped around Will, slowing his racing mind, pulling him back down into little space. He let his eyes close, rubbing Snoot’s ears slower and slower until he was almost asleep. Eventually he was vaguely aware of being lowered down onto something soft, and tucked in. He pulled snoot close to his chest and fell completely asleep.


	3. The root of it all

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will has a nightmare of what happened with the Red Dragon and of being little when Hannibal is in the BSHCI (there will be a little bit of violence between Hannibal and the Dragon at the end).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well this one's a bit different: much more angsty with no mpreg but somehow still little content. This was both awful and easy to write and written in one go, so we'll see what I think about it later. Back to the regularly scheduled fluffy content next time! 
> 
> This was the OG idea that I had about Will being little in the BSHCI 
> 
> https://twitter.com/adavice1/status/1343110501916667905

That night Will’s mind was alive with dreams, playing their reckless sprite like games inside his skull. His thoughts had always been vivid and monstrous and though they were less frequent with Hannibal by his side, pregnancy had somehow kicked it up a notch. Their flavour had changed somewhat; from concerns about cases to worries about parenting,though even these were still fantastical. He’d seen infants with the hoofs of a stag and feathers of a raven, he’d had children that would fly through the woods just out of reach before they fell through his hands to the ground. All of them startling and sweat inducing yes, but at least he could soon place himself back in reality, or talk to Hannibal about them. This dream however, was something that he chose to keep hidden away, under lock and key. 

It always started in the same way. He was tucking into a meal at the table with Molly and Walter. It was snowing outside and the flickering shadows of the fire licked the walls of the cabin. Apart from the occasional yelp of excitement from one of the dogs as they roughhoused, it was perfectly still and quiet. The silence felt full, like what is experienced beneath the folds of a weighted blanket. Molly’s fingers laced through his own and she gave his hand a squeeze as she smiled at Walter and then him. 

Will went to open his mouth to say something but all of a sudden they were gone. The fire was out and he was hit with a wall of cold. His breath so frosted as it left his mouth that he could sworn he heard ice crystals shattering as the water droplets hit the table. His plate had been replaced by a folder. A folder he did not want to touch, but found himself reaching for anyway. Inside was grotesque; blood and glass everywhere, so sharp it reached out and pierced his skin. The shards worked their way into his veins, transforming him into the monster that did this. Evil was filling him, pushing away his family, his home, and his mind screamed as if it were on fire. He had to go back, back to the dark murky pits of other's cruelty. He wasn't afraid of seeing his own becoming, it had become a fond friend and had lead him to Hannibal. That had already happened, they'd fought the Red Dragon and won. They'd kissed atop that cliff edge and called Chiyoh to mend them. Then why was he so afraid? Why couldn't he face Dolarhyde? 

Hannibal stood watching him intently from behind the glass of his cell, his eyes passive and warm. Will could feel it coming on; like a cat sliding around his ankles. His eyelids started to droop and almost imperceptibly he began to rock on his heels. 

'Why don't you sit down, darling. No one will see.'

He shouldn't be doing this, there are cameras and he's here to do a job. To stop killings. But Hannibal's voice was so kind and inviting that he felt his legs bending almost against his will. 

It wasn't enough; the floor was cold and when he pressed his hand against the glass that too was cold. It was all so sterile and lonely and he was so aware of how much he had to face. Alone. Without his daddy. 

'I scared.' His voice was barely a whimper. 'Want a cuddle.'

Hannibal sighed, his eyes slightly shiny. 

'I know baby, I can't do that right now but you know what we can do?'

Will pouted, declining to answer, which only made Hannibal smile. His sweet stubborn boy. 

'Take your arms and wrap them around yourself.' It was a suggestion, rather than a command but Will knew his papa only wanted the best for him so followed the instruction. 

'That's it, good boy. Now squeeze like it's me cuddling you.' 

'Too tight daddy!' Will squealed, his eyes lighting up.

Hannibal's eyes did not follow suit, still containing a lingering sadness that set his little one on edge. His voice however betrayed no such thing. 

'Well that's how much I love you darling. Shall we do some colouring?' 

And just as he was about to scold daddy for being so silly, colouring pencils and paper appeared before him. He smiled down at them ready to discuss what they should draw when he felt sea spray on his face. 

He was cross legged on the cliff's edge, the sea breeze causing his cheeks to go pink, the paper being carried off with it. 

'Darling, we have a guest, best come inside.' Hannibal placed a hand on his shoulder and Will leapt up to greet him. He was still little and chuffed to bits to be see his daddy without the glass barrier between them.

He looped his arms around the chest enveloped in a soft woolen jumper and nuzzled his cheek in the crook of Hannibal's neck, breathing deeply. He smelled sweet but sharp and like a grown up drink that Little Will wasn't allowed to have. Were he older he would have identified these notes as Merlot and a beef bourguignon but for now he was just happy to snuggle in Hannibal's embrace. 

When Hannibal moved them apart Will whined but was placated somewhat by the kiss he received on his forehead. They linked hands and walked slowly back to the house where Will could see a strange man standing and staring. He wore a snarl that made Will whimper and tug on Hannibal's hand, shoving his face into his side. 

'It's alright darling, we'll get you settled and daddy will look after our visitor.'

The bitter taste of anxiety prickled on his tongue. He needed to be big, this wasn't right, daddy wasn't safe. The shards of glass behind his eyes began to stab, as if drawn out by their master. 

The Great Red Dragon.

He could have been big, but no sooner had he thought that did he find himself settled on the couch, tucked beneath a blanket. 

'Look what I have for you.' Hannibal extended snoot and a bottle of warm milk which Will took gratefully.

'Now you just talk to snoot and don't come out no matter what you hear.' Will was too little to understand the meaning behind that but knew to listen to what he'd been told. He began to suckle on the teat, drawing the creamy liquid into his mouth and allowing himself to become sleepy. 

'Love you dadda.' 

'I love you too sweetheart.' Hannibal said, smoothing his hair down. There it was again, that melancholy in his eyes, like he knew this was it.

And then he and the stranger left, quiet and serious. 

Will felt himself getting sleepier and sleepier, letting his hand go lax and little droplets of milk spill on his soft pink lips, when he heard a cry outside. He jolted awake but remembered Hannibal's words before he left. 

'No matter what you hear.'

He stayed rooted to his seat until he heard the next yell, that forced him to run over to the glass walls. What he saw there made him want to scream. 

Hannibal and the Dragon were engaged in a battle. A vicious, cruel battle. Blood coated their bodies, their faces, the floor. There was so much it seemed like it could fill up the entire night sky. 

The cry he'd heard was a knife being slid into Hannibal's middle, causing great gouts of blood to rush out of him. He fell to his knees, fatally wounded.

This wasn't supposed to happen. They had fought together.

Maybe if Will got out there now he could help fell the dragon, but he was too little to open the door. Hannibal had locked it when he left and now Will didn't know what to do about it. He needed needed needed to be big again, but much as he willed it, it wouldn't happen.

Dolarhyde kept stabbing and cutting and slicing, and Will beat his hands on the glass, crying, sobbing, begging his daddy to be ok. 

But they didn't hear him and Hannibal's face looked so pale in the moonlight as he collapsed on the floor.

'DADDY' 

Will dropped to the floor and pulled his knees in towards his chest, tears streaming down his face as he wailed and wailed. 

Will gasped awake, heart pounding, sweat sticking his hair to his forehead. He turned his head faster than he ever had before to see Hannibal asleep beside him. His mouth was slightly open, hair tossled, and as Will reached to touch his arm to check whether he was truly there he gave a small snore. 

Reassured that it was a nightmare, Will noticed his hips ached. He sighed. 

'Bath time.'


	4. Bath time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will feels sore after waking up from his nightmare and his daddy runs him a bath. They uncover why Will is so upset.

The only problem was that he was _exhausted._ He knew that all common sense would say that being in little space after having a nightmare about it was probably the furthest thing from relaxing but he just couldn’t stand the idea of being a grown up right now. His heart was still thrumming like a hummingbird in his chest, and he couldn’t shake the feeling that there really was someone out there who would hurt them. He just wanted to not have to think about how much he hurt, and about what the dream meant. So back into little space he sunk. 

He eyed the door to the ensuite thinking about his next move. He knew little boys weren’t supposed to take baths on their own, but it felt like he had big boo boos on his ‘side bum’ (he called his hips that when he couldn’t remember their name). He was sore and he didn’t like it, he didn’t want it anymore and he didn’t care if he woke daddy up to fix it. 

He began emitting a low whine as he reached over and pawed at Hannibal, feebly attempting to wake him up.

‘Daddddyyyyyy, daddyyy.’ 

The way he said it make it seem like two separate words, the first syllable high and the second low; felled from exhaustion. 

He continued in this manner, his voice high pitched and squeaky, until Hannibal awoke, slightly dazed.

‘D-daddy.’ Will pawed at his arms and tried to nuzzle in close.

Hannibal was far from annoyed, reaching his arms around his little boy and rubbing his back. 

‘What is it baby? Why are you upset, hmm?’

Though his voice was soft and soothing, Will hadn’t had his problem fixed. He continued mewling and whimpering into his daddy’s arms, needy as he’d ever been. 

Hannibal knew what this meant; Will could be naughty sometimes but he wasn’t particularly shy or clingy as a little. This kind of neediness only came when he was sick or in pain. He’d seen it often after their fall, through fevered nights he would claw and pull at Hannibal, never getting close enough. 

‘Are you sore baby?’ 

Will responded with a choked high pitch cry and started smacking his hand gently at his upper hip. 

It also tended to be that when he felt rotten, Will would become close to non-verbal, regressing even further. Hannibal made a mental note to put a nappy on him after he’d dealt with this. 

‘Oh my poor little one.’ He said gently rubbing his hip and lower back. ‘It can be sore sometimes when babies get bigger in their daddy’s tummy.’ 

Will whined again; this baby was silly and causing him nothing but trouble. He flapped his hand at the door to the bathroom, Hannibal catching his meaning straight away. 

‘Shall we see if a bath makes you feel better?’ 

Finally satisfied that he was going to get what he wanted, Will’s whines became gentle moans as he nodded his head.  Hannibal stood up and padded over to Will’s side of the bed, touching his shoulder gently.

‘Stay here for minute whilst I get the bath running, ok.’

Will didn’t like that suggestion _at all._ The whining began again and he reached up to grab at Hannibal’s arm. 

‘Uppy uppy!’

‘I’m sorry Will, you’re too big at the moment for me to do that. But I can help you stand and you can sit on the toilet seat whilst we wait.’ 

‘Noooooo, uppy!’ He opened and closed his fist, grasping at the air. 

Hannibal was starting to get annoyed at Will’s petulance but he understood that he was uncomfortable and from the sweat he felt he’d probably had a nightmare. He took Will’s hand and lowered it down to his belly as a form of explanation.

‘The same thing that’s making you sore right now, means that I can’t pick you up. Understand?’ 

Will clearly didn’t like touching his bump; he went quiet and his eyes got wide as though he might cry. He moved it away and reached out to Hannibal with both arms so that he could be helped up. 

It was difficult for him, being so little, to stand with his change in gravity and extra weight but they managed it eventually. Will balled one fist into his stretched night shirt and placed the other firmly into Hannibal’s hand as they walked towards the bathroom. 

Hannibal let go a couple of steps beforehand to turn on the light and dim it all the way down warning, ‘Eyes’ before he did so. When he turned around Will still had his scrunched up so hard you might have thought he was trying to avoid something getting in. 

He placed him on the lid of the toilet and began running the water, the sound of it almost lulling Will back to sleep. Hannibal let him rest there for a while as the water began to fill the tub; he didn't want him to get naked and cold before it was ready. 

'Let's get you out of these shall we.' Hannibal said, prompting Will to lift up his arms. 

Hannibal smiled; he really did have a good little boy. 

'Be careful sweetheart.' Hannibal said gently as he helped him into the water, though Will was definitely not leaping in. He had an iron grip on his daddy's hand, which did not loosen until he had sunk completely into the water, legs crossed. 

This was perhaps a good position for splashing in the water and moving toys around, but maybe less so with aching hips and a basketball strapped to your middle. It didn't take a body language expert to tell that Will had realised this too; his feet curling and stretching, weight shifting from side to side. 

'Why don't you stick out your legs and lay back. Like daddy does when he takes a bath.' 

Will frowned, looking behind himself and back to the end of the tub. He sheepishly looked up through his lashes, 'Small.'

Papa could interpret his meaning quite easily, because despite his lack of full sentences, Will always managed to be clear in what he wanted.

'I think this might be a magic bath.' He said knowingly. 'If you lay down in it, it shrinks to fit your size.' 

Will looked at him disbelievingly for a second, too tired to consider the physics of it all and instead staring intently into Hannibal's face to see whether he would crack with the joke. When he didn't, he untangled his legs, stretching them as slowly as if they were made of cold toffee. Hannibal placed a hand in the middle of his back allowing Will to soften back into it. He guided their progress to the back of the tub so that his boy wouldn't have to exert his weakened core muscles too much. He was clearly tired; eyelids drooping and head slightly tilted to one side but he was still grumbling, so Hannibal slid his hands down into the warm water, past the island of his swollen womb and onto the soft flesh at the crease of his hip. He pressed firmly with a thumb onto the band of muscle there feeling it release slightly with the continuous pressure. It produced the kind of comfortable discomfort one feels during a massage, and was obviously alien to his little boy, who grabbed his wrist with all the strength he could muster.

'No hurt Will, daddy.' 

'This will make the hurt go away, even if it feels funny now.' Hannibal paused, waiting for Will's permission to continue. 

'Sure?'

'I am.'

When Will nodded, Hannibal worked his fingers across each hip in turn, eliciting soft moans from the younger man, before he moved to his lower back. In between the positions he ran a hand over the taut skin of Will's tummy, partly wondering if the baby was awake, partly because he loved touching it. He adored feeling and seeing Will grow bigger with the fruits of their love. He wanted to press kisses into the sensitive skin to show him that he was beautiful, that he was so grateful to Will for growing and keeping their child safe. However he noticed that Will almost imperceptibly tensed underneath his caress, and seeing as he didn't respond that way to the rest of his touch it stood to reason that it was the location of his hand that caused the change. 

He stilled there a moment, confirming his suspicions before deciding that with Will sleepy and calm now might be the best time to try and talk to him about the unease he seemed to have around his bump. 

He took his hand and trailed his fingers up and down the skin on his arm, alternating between soft pressure from his fingertips and slight scratching from his nails. Will loved being tickled when in little space, it only failing to calm him when he was completely tied up in knots. 

'Sweetheart? Will?'

When Will didn't respond Hannibal stopped moving, causing Will to face him in slight annoyance, though the light in the room cast dark shadows on his eyes making him look irate. 

'Tell daddy why you don't like touching your tummy.' His hands resumed their action, prompting the formation of goosepimples, which he smoothed away only to create again in the next motion.

Will turned his head away, staring resolutely at his left foot and popping his thumb in his mouth as if to say, 'I don't want to talk about this.' 

'It's ok baby, we don't have to talk about it, but I think it would make you feel better. Soon the baby will be here and I don't want you to be upset about something when they are here.'

Will tugged his slimy digit out of his mouth.

'Not baby!'

Hannibal couldn't tell whether his distress was meant he was saying that he didn't want the baby around or that this wasn't the baby's fault. He suspected the latter, Will being so pleased when those two lines appeared. 

'Is it something to do with your bad dreams?'

Will's eyes welled with tears and as he nodded yes they spilled down his cheeks. 

'Oh sweetheart.' Hannibal soothed. 'What's scaring you?'

Will lowered his gaze, cool tears dropping into the water below, making no effort to reply. Hannibal took his chin gently and lifted his head, rubbing his thumb across his cheek and placing a chaste kiss on his lips. 

'Small'

'You've got to use your big boy words now Will.'

His eyes flicked about as though he was looking for the will within himself to do so. 

'Tummy makes me sore and slow and weak. D-daddy wants a-a-a big strong boy to look after him.'

The terror of the confession overwhelmed Will and he swung his arms out to wrap around Hannibal's neck, soaking his back. He was more concerned about how he'd missed this than he was about the water though. How he hadn't thought to tell Will that he didn't need protection and, he suspected, that he loved him whether he was Big and fighting alongside him or in need of care. Will may have had his becoming and Hannibal may have encouraged it but just because they hadn't been hunting since he'd got pregnant didn't mean he was useless to his husband. 

Hannibal gently laid him back, despite his protestations and leaned over the edge of the bath. He kissed the stretch marked skin a few times before looking up at Will earnestly. 

'Daddy loves looking after you. You are achy because we have a big strong baby, not because you are weak.'

'B-b-but what if the bad man comes back?' Will stuttered as Hannibal rubbed slow, loving circles around his belly.

The realisation that that was what he dreamed about tugged at Hannibal's heart. 

'He won't love, we got rid of him and now we are safe.'

In that moment Will believed him heart and soul. He would have flashes of anxiety later of course, but for now he was placated. He allowed Hannibal to knead at his sore spots and belly until the water cooled and he found himself in the liminal state between waking and dreams. 

**Author's Note:**

> My twitter is @adavice1 if you want to hang out. I post threads there of things which aren't long enough to be fic's.


End file.
